South London rail users affected as two February strikes announced
Rail staff affiliated to the union Aslef are to strike on February 1 and 3 after a breakdown in negotiations.
It comes after the rejection of a new offer to end the months-long impasse, which has seen services continually disrupted by industrial action.
The 15 companies affected include GTR Great Northern Thameslink, Southeastern, Southern/Gatwick Express and depot drivers at South Western Railway – all of which will impact rail users in south and central London.
Mick Whelan, general secretary of Aslef, said: “The proposal is not and could not ever be acceptable but we are willing to engage in further discussions within the process that we previously agreed.
“It took the train companies six-and-a-half months – and only after six one-day strikes – to make us an offer, at the end of play on Friday, January 6, just ahead of our meeting with the Rail Minister, Huw Merriman on January 9 and [my] appearance before the Transport Select Committee on January 11.
“Irreparable harm has been done to the integrity of the negotiating process and the future ability to negotiate an appropriate way forward, but we make ourselves available anyway.”
He added: “Not only is the offer a real-terms pay cut, with inflation running north of 10per cent, but it came with so many conditions attached that it was clearly unacceptable.”
A spokesman for the Rail Delivery Group said: “It’s disappointing our fair and affordable offer, which would take average driver base salaries from £60,000 to nearly £65,000 by the end of 2023 pay awards, wasn’t put to the Aslef members.
“With taxpayers still funding up to an extra £175 million a month to make up the shortfall in revenue post-Covid, it provided a significant salary uplift while bringing in long overdue, common-sense reforms that would mean more reliable services for passengers.
“Rather than announcing further unnecessary strikes, we ask Aslef to recognise the very real financial challenge the industry is facing and work with us to deliver a better railway with a strong long-term future.”
Pictured top: A Southestern train service at Victoria railway station (Picture: Wikimedia Commons/SavageKieran)
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